The Conjuring

The Conjuring was one of the most pleasant surprises of 2013, the rare modern horror movie to strike that perfect balance between crowd-pleasing mainstream fare and nerdy, genre-specific detail. Casual horror fans loved it. Hardcore horror fans loved it. A sequel was announced almost instantly. Now, two years later, we have our first real shred of evidence that the second cinematic case of Ed and Lorraine Warren is actually, truly happening.

In news that should delight horror fans, 'The Conjuring 2' has officially secured the return of director James Wan. His involvement with the sequel was up in the air since he left horror behind to direct 'Fast and Furious 7,' but the genre that gave him his start has pulled him back in ... and we're happy to have him back.

Warner Bros. released the full-length 'Annabelle' trailer, which does not hide the origins of its titular demonic doll. Yes, this is the same doll that left a huge impression on audiences in 'The Conjuring,' and, yes, we're going to get to see exactly how this creepy thing came into being. Considering that 'The Conjuring' is one of the most successful and acclaimed horror movies of all time, this is probably a smart angle to take.

Remember that creepy doll that gave you nightmares in 'The Conjuring'? The one Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga told their daughter NOT to touch? Well, Warner Bros. gave the possessed item its own spinoff movie, and the first 'Annabelle' trailer has debuted to bring on the scares.

'The Conjuring' was the biggest horror film since 'The Exorcist,' so it was hardly surprising when we learned that not only was New Line planning a sequel, but a spinoff as well. The latter focuses on the unlikely breakout star of the film, a spooky little doll named Annabelle, and now she's found a pair of friends to scare the hell out of in her very own movie.

James Wan's 'The Conjuring' was the surprise hit of the summer, skyrocketing at the box office to become one of the most profitable horror films of all time. While a sequel is already in the works, Warner Bros. and New Line are also plotting a spin-off film -- and that film will star none other than Annabelle, the creepy, possessed doll based on a real doll that terrorized human lives.

There was definitely something apocalyptic about the 2013 summer movie season, and we’re not just talking about the movies themselves.While major releases, like ‘This Is the End,’ ‘Oblivion,’ ‘Pacific Rim‘ and ‘Elysium,’ dealt with the end of the world, Hollywood appeared to be on the verge of collapse out in the real world. Films that looked like surefire hits flopped; surefire disasters proved to be more disastrous than everyone predicted; the handful of films without numbers in their titles stumbled; and, from the sidelines, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas smirked, shrugged and predicted the end of the moviegoing experience as we know it.So, what exactly happened here? More importantly, what does this mean for the future of studio filmmaking? It’s easy to imagine Hollywood looking at what happened this summer and learning plenty of lessons; but, maybe, not always the right ones.

2013 sees the release of two of the most effective mainstream horror films I've seen in years. Both 'The Conjuring' and 'You're Next' are terrific crowd-pleasers that wisely shake up the stale formula of studio horror movies. Yet, both of these films won't be in theaters come October, when most of us are really hungry for a good, scary movie. ('The Conjuring' is in theaters now and 'You're Next' opens on August 23.)Meanwhile, looking at the current release schedule for October, there is an almost complete lack of any substantial horror presence (the 'Carrie' remake and a film titled 'Haunt' that we're still unsure will actually make its scheduled date are the only genre films of note).So, what gives? Why have the best horror movies shifted to the summer and why has October become the home of 'Runner Runner' and 'Escape Plan'?

There was a lot of buzz surrounding James Wan's 'The Conjuring' going into this weekend. "Scariest movie of the year." "Best horror movie in a long time." And so on. But it paid off. 'The Conjuring' not only won the box office, it won the box office in a way that R-rated horror movies often don't. Between this and 'The Purge,' R-rated horror is officially back in a big way.

It's no secret that James Wan's 'The Conjuring' has been testing through the roof and is poised to terrify audiences when it opens on Friday. Therefore, it's no surprise that 'The Conjuring 2' is already being developed. Considering the story's inspiration for the first, this sequel might just be the start of a new major horror franchise.